Stories of Impact

Scaling up Dhiiyaan's True Fella Initiative

Our True Fella Transition workers have had a busy but rewarding year. Their focus is with young
people (12-25yo) who are, have or may come into contact with the juvenile justice system.

Dhiiyaan is an Aboriginal-inspired faith family located in North Brisbane that also manages a 40 acre property in Dalby, QLD. (dhiiyaan is a ‘Gamilaraay’ language word that means ‘family’.)

Dhiiyaan’s True Fella initiative builds Christ-centred relationships of unconditional love and respect with disadvantaged youth at-risk of offending or involved with the youth justice system. Having delivered a highly successful pilot initiative, Dhiiyaan is positioned to scale up the impact and reach of True Fella with a view to sustainability.

The Queensland Government (2021) reported that involvement in crime peaks in adolescence and early adulthood and that the rate of detention for Indigenous youth is 19 times higher than for non-Indigenous youth. Most of these young people have experienced intergenerational and complex trauma, including disconnection from culture.

There is an urgent need for:

• deep, stable relationships of healing and connection with mature Christian people from Indigenous and culturally diverse backgrounds.
• relationships that include a sense of place, belonging, purpose, connection with culture and Christian faith, and unconditional love and respect. These relationships are built through:
• prevention programs that work: wholistic and relevant, delivered by Indigenous and culturally diverse people who have lived experience of trauma and the justice system.
• intensive transition support: walking beside young people before and as they leave juvenile detention. Supporting them in all aspects including housing, employment, social, cultural and Christian faith connection.
• wrap around support: a stable, long-term community where young people can gain a sense of belonging, explore culture and Christian faith, and remove themselves from harmful influences.

The funding being provide by the Collier Charitable Fund will assist in supporting 260 disadvantaged youth (approx 70% Indigenous) to:

• connect positively with their cultural heritage and build a sense of cultural identity.
• build stable relationships of unconditional positive regard with mature indigenous and non-indigenous Christians.
• build connection to a sense of place, respect for the land and creation care.
• consider their relationship to the Creator God and Jesus Christ in a culturally relevant and gracious way.
• build an ongoing connection to the Dhiiyaan community.
• build practical, emotional and professional skills. 

We envision that the relationships established with young people in the program will continue for many more years. The Dhiiyaan Church Community provides a long-term, safe place for disadvantaged young people to connect, so the relationships we build, and the positive impact of these relationships can be ongoing.

We wanted to say to Collier - maarubaaban.gaan (“thanks alot!” in the Gamilaraay language of north-western NSW). Your support will help us to continue to invest in young people and see a difference.

For more information about Djiiyaan go to  https://dhiiyaan.org.au/ 

OTHER STORIES OF IMPACT IN THIS AREA OF SUPPORT:

Back to Stories Overview